Coin-controlled automatic liquid-vending machine



Sept. 24, 1929. M. wbLNlK 7 1,729,317

com CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC LI u in VENDING mcnmz Filed May 22, 192 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I VENT R MaxWomi 75 ORNEY Sept. 24, 1929. M. WOLN IK ,7

COIN CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC LIQUID VENDING IACHINB Filed May 22, 1928 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 24, 1929. M. womm ,7

COIN CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC LIQUID VENDING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Max WW R BY r 1 7 ORNE Y Patented Sept. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES MAX WOLNIK, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK COIN-CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC LIQUID-VENDING MACHINE Application filed May 22,

This invention relates to apparatus for automatically dispenslng or vending liquids of any type such as gasoline or the like. My

invention contemplates the provision of coincont-rolled means adapted to receive a predetermined number of coins of any predetermined denomination and adapted to be manipulated by the purchaser after the deposit of such coins, for controlling the supply of the liquid to a receptacle from which the purchaser may drain the liquid. My invention further contemplates the provision of an en closed unit protected against unauthorized tampering, which may be quickly and easily operated by the purchaser for vending liquids at any time of the day or ni ht, thereby dispensing with the necessity of a constant attendant, and making the liquid available for purchase at all times. My improved machine may be readily adapted for use with any desired number of coins of any predetermined denomination by merely substituting therein a coin chute and receptacle of the prop-er size, and may be designed or adjusted to sellany desired quantity or type of liquid.

The various objects of my invention will be clear from the description which follows and from the drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section and partial front elevation of my improved apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same, showing the position assumed by theparts after the liquid has been supplied to the discharge receptacle.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of the rotatable valve which normally prevents the dis charge of liquid.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of my improved apparatus taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1, showingthe normal or inoperative positions of the parts and,

Fig. 5 is a similar View of the same, showing the positions assumed by the parts during the dispensing operation.

In that practical embodiment of my invention which I have illustrated by way of example, all of the various parts may be enclosed in a suitable casing as 10, the pump handle 11, the coin slot 12, the control handle 13 and the outlet hose 14 being exposed for 1928. Serial No. 279,645.

manipulation and passing through suitable openings in the casing. The main or storage tank 15 from which the liquid is first drawn, may be buried in the ground, if desired, though said tank as well as the remainder of the apparatus may be arranged at any suitable level which may be found convenient.

My improved apparatus consists. briefly, of a suitable pump 16 by means of which the liquid is drawn from the main tank 15 and then fed into a balanced discharge apparatus 17 through a suitable rotatable valve which is coin-controlled, the liquid being discharged from the discharge tank 17 automatically. For operating the pump 16, the crank handle 11 is rotated but no liquid is delivered to the discharge tank 17 unless the rotatable valve 19 is properly positioned, this being effected through the intermediary of the coins deposited in the coin receptacles.

The exposed pump handle 11 is mounted on a suitable shaft 22 carried by the bracket 20, which is secured to the wall 21 of the casing 10. On that end of the shaft 22 which is arranged inside of the casing, a suitable gear as 23 is mounted, which gear meshes with the crank gear 24, the latter gear being suitably supported by the member 25. To the crank pin 26 of the gear 24 is secured the connecting rod 27, the lower end of which is pivoted as at 28 to the piston rod 29 of the pump. The pump piston 30 at the lower end of the piston rod is provided with a suitable frictional valve support as 31, which may be in the form of an adjustable stufiing box and which serves to carry the rod 32 along With the piston unless said rod is prevented from moving.

The rod carries the displacement valve 33 at the lower end thereof, said valve being of sufficient size to displace most of the liquid which may be in the bottom of the pump cylinder 34, whereby proper feeding of the liquid by the pump is insured. It will be understood that the pump may be entirely dispensed with if desired, in which case the tank 16 is raised and the liquid fed directly into the valve 19 or into the pipe 41 leading thereinto. It will also be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the particular type of pump shown and described herein.

Near the upper end of the pump cylinder 34, is provided the opening 35 through which air is discharged from or enters the cylinder during the operation of the pump. An auxiliary air chamber 36 communicating through the passage 37 with the interior of the pump cylinder, is provided as an air trap, whereby the pump is given the effect of a force pump during the discharge of the liquid therefrom. At the lower end of the cylinder 34, the inlet passage 38 is provided, said passage communicating with the main tank as by means of the inlet pipe 39. The pump outlet passage 40 is connected by means of the pipe 41 and the connection 42 to the rotatable valve 19, and delivers the liquid through said valve, when the valve has been previously arranged in the proper position, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The operation of the pump is as follows:

It being assumed that the valve 19 has been properly arranged, and the crank 11 rotated, the piston rod 29 and the piston 30 are recipr cated through the gear 23, the crank gear 24 and the connecting rod 27.

Referring now to Fig. 1, in which the position of the displacement valve 33 is such that the inlet opening 38 is closed and the piston 30 spaced slightly above the discharge passage 40, when the piston 30 is raised, the displacement valve 33 is raised therewith because of the frictional engagement of the rod 32 thereof with the stuffing box 31, thereby opening the discharge passage-38, expelling the air above the piston through the air port 35 and simultaneously drawing'liquid in from the tank through the passage 38. The displacement valve 33 rises with the piston 30 until. it becomes arranged opposite the discharge passage and closes said passage, further movement of said valve being prevented by the engagement of the rod 32 with the upper end of the pump cylinder 34. The piston 30, however, continues to rise and draws in liquid through the inlet passage until the pump cylinder is full and the air trapped in the compartment- 36 is considerably compressed by the liquid entering said cylinder.

On the downward stroke of the piston 30, the rod 32, together with the displacement valve 33, are carried by the piston downwardly until said valve reaches its lowermost position in which the inlet passage 38 is closed, whereupon no further movement of said valve is possible but the discharge opening 40 is opened and the liquid previously drawn into the cylinder is discharged by the piston 30 through said discharge passage, aided therein by the air compressed in the compartment 36. The operation of the pump, as above described, may be. repeated until a predetermined amount of liquid is delivered thereby to the discharge tank 17 and the rotatable valve 19 thereupon automatically closed in the manner soon to be described.

Referring now particularly to Figs 3, 4 and 5, the valve 19 is preferably in the form of a cylinder provided with an eccentric opening 43, adapted to register in the operative or delivery position of the valve with an eccentric opening 44 of the same size and shape made in the fitting 42, in which one end of said valve is rotatably mounted, there being a sufficiently close fit between said valve and said fitting so as to prevent leakage between the contacting surfaces thereof. As viewed in Fig. 3, the right end of said valve 19 is similarly supported in a fitting 45, similar to the fitting 42 and provided with an eccentric opening 46 in alignment preferable with the opening 44.

The discharge pipe 47 leading to the dis charge tank 17 is suitably connected to the fitting and is provided with a downwardly turned end 48, through which liquid may readily pass into the tank 17. For support ing the fittings 42 and 45, a suitable bracket as 49 may be secured to the wall 50 of the casing 10 and may be provided with suitable arms 51 and 52 into which said fittings may be respectively threaded.

The rotatable valve 19 is provided with a preferably rearwardly extending arm or projection and a preferably downwardly and forwardly extending arm (4. The arm 53 is.

interposed in the path of the lever 55 and is acted on thereby at the proper moment to turn said valve into inoperative or non-delivery position, while the arm 54 is interposed in the path of movement of the coin receptacle 56 and may be acted on through the intermediary of the coins in said receptacle for rotating said valve into operative position.

The coin receptacle for rotating the valve into operative position and the means for leading the coins to the receptacle will now be described. Said means consists of a coin chute 57, suitably secured in the top 58 of the casing 10 and having a coin passage 59 of the proper width therethrough. Said chute is preferably removable so that another similar chute of different size may be substituted therefor when it is desired to operate the machine with coins of other denomination. Arranged as closely as possible to the lower end 60 of said chute, is the coin receptacle 56 which is pivoted near its lower end to the arms 51 and 52 of the bracket 49, as by means of the shaft 62. The hand lever 13 is secured to the shaft 62 and extends through the slot 64 in the front 63 of the casing 10, so that the end of the lever may be manipulated by the user for operating the valve after a sulficient number of coins of the proper denomination have been deposited in the coin receptacle.

It will be understood that said receptacle may be made of the properwidth and length to receive any predetermined number of coins of the proper denomination and that the thicknesses of the slots 59 in the coin chute 57 and of the corresponding slot in the coin receptacle may be made of such dimensions that coins of improper thickness are rejected and cannot function to operate the valve. It will also be understood that the coin receptacle may be removed and another of different size substituted therefor when it is desired to operate the machine with coins of other size and value.

If my improved apparatus is used for the purpose of dispensing and vending gasoline at, let us say, for two gallons, the coin receptacle 56 is made of sufficient length and depth to receive three 10 coins. It will be obvious,however, that said receptacle may be designed to receive coins in any desired number of other denominations such as quarters, half-dollars or the like, as may be found desirable.

At the upper end thereof, the receptacle 56 may be slightly flared to insure the reception thereby of the coins dropping through the chute 57. Said receptacle is preferably cut away at its central portion as by means of the slot 65, whereby all or part of the uppermost coin 66 of the row of coins in the receptacle is exposed in front of the arm 54, depending from the valve 19. It will be understood, however, that the upper end of the receptacle 56 may be partly cut away, if desired, throughout its entire width to allow the coin 66 to project thereabove for operating the arm 54. The proper number of coins of the predetermined denomination having been deposited in the receptacle 56, the lowermost coin 67 rests against the pivoted bottom I 68, which is mounted on the shaft 69, supported by the arms 51 and 52 of the bracket 49. When the lever 18 is pushed upwardly against the action of the spring 70, which tends to urge said lever into its lowermost position, the shaft 62 and the receptacle 56 mounted thereon, are rotated rearwardly whereby the uppermost coin or coins 66 enthe arm 54 and rotate said arm together with the Valve 19 into the position illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein the passage or opening 43 registers with the openings 44 and 46 and al lows liquid to pass from the pipe 41 into and through the pipe 47 when the pump is operated. On the release of the lever 13, the spring 70 pulls said lever back to its initial position while the valve 19 is frictionally maintained in registering or operative position.

The discharge tank 17 and its cooperating discharge structure will now be described.

Said discharge tank 17 is normally maintained in its uppermost position against the stop 71 or any other suitable stop by means of the weight 72 which is adjustably mounted at one end of the lever 55. Said lever is pivoted as at 61 to the bracket 73 and at its other end, is connected by means of the link 74 to the discharge tank 17. The extensible spring 75 aids the weight 72 in maintaining the discharge tank 17 in its uppermost position, said spring being connected at one end to the lever 55 as by means of the pin or hole 76 and being supported at its other end by the pin 77 extending from the rear of the casing. It will be understood that as the liquid enters the tank 17, the weight of said tank and of its contents exerts a downward pull upon the link 74 and tends to rotate the lever 55 about its pivot 61 and to lower said tank. The size and position of the weight 72 and the spring 75 are therefore so proportioned and arranged that the tank 17 does not descend immediately upon the delivery of liquid to said tank but maintain the lever 55 in its normal position until the amount of liquid delivered to the tank 17 overcomes the inertia of the parts and the resistance offered by said weight and spring. 1

hen sufiicient liquid has entered the tank 17 for this purpose, said tank descends within the outer discharge tank 78 and causes rotation of the lever 55 in a clock-wise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. During the above-described rotative movement of the lever 55, the arm 53 projecting from the valve 19 is engaged by said lever and moved to rotate the valve 19 back to its initial or inoperative position illustrated in Fig. 4, whereby further supply of liquid to the tank 17 is prevented. It will be understood that the arm 53 is so spaced from the under side of the lever 55, and the weight 72 and the spring 75 are so proportioned that the arm 53 is not moved by said lever until the predetermined amount of liquid has entered the tank 17.

Suitable means are provided in the bottom of the tank 17 for discharging the contents thereof into the outer tank 7 8. Said means consists of the valve member 79, preferably in the form of a float and provided with the upstanding rod 80 which is supported in the spaced guides 81 secured about the opening into the bottom of said tank. Said float 79 strikes the upstanding pin 83 arranged in, the bottom of the outer tank 78 when the tank descends under the weight of its contents, whereby the float 79 is raised from its seat about the opening 82 and allows the liquid contents of the tank 17 to pass through said opening into the tank 78 and thence, through the passage 84 into the flexible outlet hose 14, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The float 79 remains in its uppermost position until the entire contents of the tank 17 has been discharged, by reason of the pressure of the liquid thereupon.

It will be seen that as the liquid leaves the tank 17, said tank is partly relieved of the weight thereon and rises under the influence of the weight 72 and the spring 75 until it is brought back to its initial position against the stop 71. The liquid may continue to flow from the tank 17 until said tank is emptied, whereupon the float- 79 drops back on to its seat about the opening 82 on its own weight, ready for the repetition of the operation.

Means are also provided for emptying the receptacle 56 of coins automatically, so that the next customer must, to repeat the delivery of the predetermined amount of liquid, drop additional coins through the chute 57 and. into said receptacle. Said means consists of the link 85 secured to the lever 55 as by means of the pin 86, passing through the lug 8'7 thereon, and secured at its lower end to the shaft 69 as by meansot' the pin 88 passing through the crank 89. As the lever 55 descends, the link 85 is operated to rotate the pivoted bottom 68 of the receptacle the manner shown in dotted lines in t and 5 so that the coins in said receptacle are no longer supported and are allowed to drop by gravity into the coin box 90. A suitable door as 91, provided with a lock 92, may be inserted into the front wall (53 of the c 'ng to allow access to the coin box 90 for the removal of coins therefrom.

It will be seen that I have provides simple and efiicient apparatus controllable by any predetermined number of coins of predetermined denomination tor vending liquids; that my improved apparatus protected against unauthorized tampering; that it may be used in isolated places for vending gasoline and other liquids without the necessity of an attendant or operator, and that. liquids may be vended thereby at all hours of the day and night when an operator or attendant cannot be found for the machines now in ordinary use.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the specific form and arrangement of my improved apparatus herein shown and described but intend to claim my invention as broadly as may be permitted by the terms of the appended claims and the state of the prior art.

I claim:

1. In coin-controlled apparatus for dispensing liquid, a storage tank, a movable discharge tank, means for delivering liquid from the storage tank to the discharge tank, a rotatable coin-controlled valve interposed between the liquid delivering means and the discharge tank, a weighted and spring-pulled lever controlling the movement of: the discharge tank, a pivoted coin receptacle designed and proportioned for the reception of a predetermined number of coins of predetermined denomination in substantially vertical alignment with the uppermost coin therein exposed, an arm on said valve interposed in the path of the lever for rotating said valve into inoperative position on the filling of the discharge tank with a predetermined quantity of liquid, a second arm on said valve arranged in the path of the upper end of the coin receptacle and adapted to be engaged by the uppermost coin in said receptacle whereby said valve may be manually rotated into liquid delivering position when the predetermined number and denomination of coins has been inserted thereinto', a pivoted bottom on said receptacle operatively connected to said lever for releasing the coins in the receptacle after the predetermined quantity of liquid has been supplied to the discharge tank, and a normally closed valve arranged in the bottom of the discharge tank and adapted to be automatically opened after the predetermined amount of liquid has been. supplied to said discharge tank.

2. In a coin-controlled liquid dispensing machine, a rotatable valve normally arranged in inoperative position, manually operable coin-controlled means including a coin receptacl-e and a member spaced from, independent of and outside of the receptacle, for rotating said valve, into liquid delivering position, a movable bottom for the coin receptacle, and means for automatically returning the valve into inoperative position and moving said bottom to release the coins from the receptacle utter the passage of a predetermined qua ity of liquid through the valve.

3. In a coin-controlled liquid dispensing machine, a. rotatable valve, a coin receptacle pivoted at its lower end and adapted to receive a predetermined number or coins of predetermined denomination and to expose the uppermost one of said coins, a pivoted bottom on said receptacle, a member extending from said valve into the path of said uppermost coin, a weighted lever operatively connected to the bottom of said receptacle whereby the coins in said receptacle are released after a predetermined quantity of liquid has passed through said valve, means operated by the liquid for actuating said lever, and a member on said valve interposed in the path of said lever and operated thereby to return the valve into inoperative position.

4. In a coin-controlled liquid dispensing machine, a valve, means tor delivering liquid to the valve, an inner tank receiving liquid passing through the valve, a pivoted weighted lever connected to the tank for raising and lowering the tank alternately, on the emptying of said tank, and the supply of a predetermined quantity of liquid to the tank by the liquid delivering means through the valve, coin-controlled means for bringing the valve into delivery position, means on said valve operated by and adapted to engage the lever for returning the valve to initial position, an outer tank about the greater part of the inner tank, and means in the inner tank for automatically discharging the liquid therefrom on the lowering thereof.

5. In a coin-controlled liquid dispensing ,machine, a valve, means for delivering liquid to said valve, projections on said valve, manually operable coin-controlled means for directly engaging one of the projections, for moving said valve into delivery position, and a weighted lever spaced above the valve and actuated by the weight of the delivered liquid for directly engaging another projection for returning the valve to initial position.

6. In a coin-controlled liquid dispensing machine, a tank and a coin-controlled valve controlling the entrance of liquid to the tank, a lever connected to the tank and operated thereby, a weight on the lever, a yieldable spring operating on the lever and supplementing the action of the weight, said weight and spring being so proportioned that the lever is actuated by the tank only when a predetermined quantity of liquid has been delivered to the tank, and means on the valve adapted to be engaged by the lever for returning the valve to initial position.

7. In a coin-controlled liquid dispensing machine, a valve for controlling the delivery of liquid, coin-controlled means for bringing said valve into delivery position, a pivoted lever actuated by the delivered liquid, a weight on said lever, a yieldable spring pulling on said lever and supplementing the action of the weight, said spring and lever being so proportioned that the lever is actuated only when a predetermined amount of liquid has been delivered through the valve, and means actuated by the lever for returning the valve to initial position.

8. In a coin-controlled liquid dispensing machine, coin-controlled means for controlling the delivery of liquid including a coin receptacle and means for operating the receptacle, a weighted lever actuated by the delivered liquid, a pivoted bottom on the receptacle for normally maintaining coins in the receptacle and means for operatively connecting the lever and the bottom for swinging the bottom on the actuation of the lever, whereby the coins leave the receptacle.

9. In a coin-controlled vending machine, an elongated chute for supporting a coin with the upper part of the rear face thereof exposed and free from obstruction, means for oscillating said chute through an angle of less than 180, a vending mechanism including a member in spaced relation to the chute and completely free thereof in the path of the coin and arranged for operation only by the exposed rear face of the coin on the oscillation of the chute in a given direction, and a movable bottom on said chute normally retaining the coins therein and adapted to be moved for releasing the coins to eject said coins from the chute by gravity.

10. In a coin-controlled liquid dispensing machine, a weighted lever, a member movable by said lever into inope 'ative position, a movable coin receptacle in spaced relation to the member adapted to expose the upper part of the uppermost coin therein for moving said member into operative position through the intermediary of the face of said uppermost coin, said face being brought into direct contact with the member, and a pivoted coin discharge bottom on the receptacle adapted to open the bottom of said receptacle to discharge the coins therefrom by gravity.

11. In a coin-controlled vending machine, means for supporting a vertical row of coins, a member spaced exteriorly of the supporting means and in the path of the uppermost coin adapted to be engaged by the face of the uppermost coin and actuated thereby on the application of manual pressure to the coin supporting means, a movable bottom below and serving as a lower closure for said coin supporting means for normally maintaining the row of coins in said means at a predetermined height, and means for moving the bottom downwardly to discharge the coins by gravity after said member lias been operated.

12. In a coin-controlled vending machine, a coin. chute mounted for limited oscillatory movement for supporting a row of coins in vertical alignment and for exposing one of said coins, vending mechanism including a member outside of and spaced from the chute and in the path of the coin and operated bythe support only through the intermediary of the coin, and a movable bottom on said chute adapted to be opened to discharge the coins after said vending mechanism has been operated.

13. In a coin-controlled liquid dispensing machine, means for delivering a predetermined quantity of liquid, and coin-controlled means including a valve having a projection thereon and a coin receptacle in spaced relation to the valve for supporting a coin in position to operate the valve through pressure put upon the coin, and through the contact of the coin with the valve projection, said valve automatically cutting off the supply of liquid after the predetermined quantity has been delivered.

14. In a coin-controlled liquid dispensing machine, means including a valve for delivering a predetermined quantity of liquid, a pivoted coin receptacle adapted to receive and hold coins in a vertical row and to expose the upper part of the uppermost coin therein, said valve being in spaced relation to the receptacle and movable by the face of said uppermost coin into operative position, and means for automatically returning said valve into inoperative position and releasing the coins for ejection by gravity from the receptacle after the passage of a predetermined quantity of liquid through the valve.

15. In a coin-controlled vending machine, a movable coin receptacle adapted to expose the upper part of a coin deposited therein, a movable bottom for the receptacle, manually operable means for moving said receptacle, and a movable member in the path of the exposed coin and outside of the receptacle and spaced therei'rom, adapted to be operated only by said coin on the movement of the receptacle, and means operatively connected to i said bottom for moving the bottom to release the coin automatically.

16. In a coin-controlled liquid dispensing machine, a normally closed valve, a projection on said valve, and coin-controlled manually operable means in spaced relation to the projection and to the valve for opening said valve, comprising a spring-pulled coin receptacle for the operation of said projection, open at the bottom and pivoted intermediate the ends thereof and adapted to hold a vertical row of coins therein, means for normally closing the open lower end of said receptacle adapted to be removed from said lower end to discharge the coins from said receptacle by gravity after the operation of said projection, and means for swinging said receptacle whereby the face of the uppermost coin therein engages said projection and operates the valve.

17. The combination with a normally ver tical spring-pulled coin chute, open at both ends thereof, having parallel interior side walls therein and substantially parallel interior front and rear Walls, of manually operable means intermediate the ends of said chute for pivotally supporting said chute, and a bottom closure for said chute entirely outside of said chute and pivoted independently of said chute, and normally supporting coins therein, and adapted to be swung automatically to discharge the coins through the bottom of said chute by gravit Y MAX NOLNIK. 

